“Committed to the Cause: Addressing Disparities in Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Efforts”

To prevent pregnancy, non-marital sexual activity, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents, the Family & Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB) Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (APP) Program supports state, Tribal, and community efforts to implement Personal Responsibility Education Programs (PREP) and Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE).

The APP Program administers more than 260 grants throughout the nation and several U.S. territories to help increase the capacity of youth-serving organizations. In addition to providing culturally relevant and age-appropriate prevention education, our grantees provide adulthood preparation education on topics such as financial literacy, healthy relationships, and healthy life skills to help youth reach their goals for future success. Our efforts, along with those of other federal, state, and local organizations, are working. The birth rate for youth ages 15 to 19 reached a historic low in 2014 and continue to decline.

In fact, the United States has enjoyed an unprecedented decline in teen birth rates over the past decade, with births to American teens dropping more than 40% in the past decade.

Although U.S. teen pregnancy rates have reached historic lows, these rates are still substantially higher than in other western industrialized nations, and disparities among racial/ethnic minorities and geographic regions persist. To help close the gaps, this year we are focusing on Health Equity.

Download this virtual background to use for online meetings and calls during NTPPM!

Put this graphic in your email signature to let everyone know you support Teen Pregnancy Prevention efforts. Link to: https://teenpregnancy.acf.hhs.gov/events/national-teen-pregnancy-prevention-month

Stay tuned to our social media accounts for the latest information and events related to National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month!

Relevant Social Media Accounts

Agency Social Media:

• FYSB Facebook Page
• FYSB on Twitter
• Administration for Children and Families (ACF) YouTube Channel

Partner Social Media:

• Office of Population Affairs Twitter Page
• CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) on Twitter
• CDC NPIN on Facebook
• Youth Engaged 4 Change (YE4C)
• Youth Engaged 4 Change on Instagram
• Youth Engaged 4 Change on Facebook
• Youth.gov
• Youth.gov on Twitter

Suggested Twitter Hashtags:

• #NTPPM
• #TeenPregnancyPrevention

NTPPM Suggested Social Media Content

May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Use the Family & Youth Services Bureau Digital Media Kit to learn more, spread the word, and help raise awareness about disparities in teen birth rates among youth. https://spark.adobe.com/page/G7jDnjb5TP3am/

#TBT May 10, 2011, marked the First Annual Federal Teen Pregnancy Prevention Awareness event. Click the link to find out what we've learned since then! https://teenpregnancy.acf.hhs.gov/resources/beyond-finish-line-tips-sustaining-your-project-0

Reducing disparities in teen pregnancy among African American and Latinx teens is the focus of a community-wide teen pregnancy prevention initiative by the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Read on… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5571442/

A youth advisory board is a great way to improve your Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program and increase diversity in decision-making. The program at the University Medical Center of El Paso’s Women's Health Services is a great example! https://www.umcelpaso.org/medical-services/teen-advisory-board

Resources on The Exchange

• TPP Month Event Calendar: Find the latest APP events on The Exchange Events Calendar
• Resource Gallery: Need additional help in a specific topic area? Use the filter to quickly find the right resources to get the job done
• Comment Wall: Celebrate NTPPM by sharing with other grantees how you advance health equity in the communities you serve (APP Grantees only, login required)
• The Studio: In just a few seconds, create customizable tip sheets, web badges, and infographics that can be shared on social media outlets (APP Grantees only, login required)

Training & Technical Assistance for NTPPM

• Technical Assistance: Complementary technical assistance is offered to all PREP and SRAE grantees. Request a session with an experienced technical assistance provider by contacting your FYSB Project Officer who will make the request on your behalf.

NTPPM Webinar

• Title: Advancing Racial Equity: The Time is Now!
• Date/Time: May 27, 2021 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Facilitator: Cerise Hunt, PhD, MSW

As health inequities continue to permeate our society, it's important for leaders to build their organization's capacity to advance racial equity. This session will explore the institutionalized, personally mediated, and structural mechanisms, which perpetuate differences in opportunities, stresses, and exposures as well as access and quality of services. Participants will learn practical strategies to act individually and collectively to address challenges and systemic barriers that impact the communities we serve. Click this link to register for the NTPP Month Webinar.

Register Now

Facilitator's Bio: Cerise Hunt, PhD, MSW, is the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Director for the Center for Public Health Practice, Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at Colorado School of Public Health University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She is responsible for leading the school’s efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence. Cerise is also responsible for forming community linkages that guide public health practice, providing education and workforce development opportunities, and engaging in public health practice research.